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I wanted to share a little project I have been working on.  I'm make a few refrigerator magnets for some girlfriends.  I used some vintage pattern papers I had on hand.  The kraft piece will matt a wallet size photo.

I started with the sketch @ Mojo Monday.  But, I made a few adjustments to their sketch.  unfortunately I don't believe that the original sketch is recognizable.    I didn't create a card, so I'm not working with a rectangle.  I altered a chipboard square.  

I used a pink music sheet for the base.  I added a floral pattern paper to the left.  I added a pink polka dot pattern paper and cut banner end.  I overlapped a 1 1/2" floral circle.  I stamped onto the circle pattern paper.  I added a scallop trim silver glitter paper across the top.  I added a piece of pink seam bining and machine stitched, the trim.  I created a multi-loop bow, and tied a cream vintage button to it's center.  I add a kraft rectangle to matt a wallet size photo.

Thank you for stopping by.

  

Lone Bird

Whew.  This has been a weekend packed with several, all most too many obligations.  And then there was some creative block.  For the life of me, I could not get a challenge to work.  So, I went CAS (clean and simple).  Sometimes, less IS more.
This week, over @ Our Creative Corner,  Lini, is our hostess this week.  She wants you to use woodgrain somewhere on your paper craft project.  And include a button.  (the button, was the easiest part for me.  Maybe that's why they call it a challenge.)

here is what I created:

This is not my typical card.  Typically, I have some sort of ribbon or trim, and it's generally girl-y.  But, like I stated earlier, this was a challenge for me.  Not sure why.  Maybe the woodgrain really through me.  I don't use woodgrain pattern paper, embossing folder, or background stamp.   I like it.  But not something I have or use.  Sorry.

The bird is actually a digital download, and I adhered it to a piece of chip board and then cut it out.  I used a sanding block to help smooth out some of the edges.  I sponged crumb cake classic ink on the edges to help define the edge.  I added an embossed real red heart.  A tiny button with some linen thread run through and tied in a knot.  I added a tiny black half pearl for the eye.  I added a decorative cut piece of text paper.  The 'true love' piece, is actually cut from a Basic Grey wax seal set.  It's part of the logo at the top of the package.

Thank you for stopping by.  Please do find some time to play along with us @ OCC.  I'm sure you will create something wonderful!

Interactive and Beautiful

Howdy!  Well, this year has started just as busy as last year ended.  I was so hoping this year, I'd have a better grip on my time.  And, as you can tell by the tardiness of this post, that hasn't happened yet. {:( }

I am the hostess over @ Our Creative Corner this week.  (super excited about that).  And well, I have known for a  l o n g  time what I wanted to do.  I already had the papers picked out, and the template laying on my craft table.  And well, life got in the way, so I had to push that project aside and tackle some other pressing matters.  But, I stuck in there, and finished it early this morning.

So, the challenge for this week over @ OCC, is super easy and hopefully you have a grand time crafting!   "I thought it would be fun to start off the new year with a gorgeous paper craft item, made with some pretty colors!  The challenge this week, is to use 2 specific colors and a specific object.   The main colors to use for your paper craft item (3-D item, a scrapbook page, a card, a tag, etc.) must be aqua and pink - and any shade will do!  All neutral colors are welcome: white, cream, brown, black, and grey.  And you must include a flower, any kind of flower.  The flower can be hand-made, a stamp, a picture, a digital download, an accent, etc."

To help get you inspired, I created an 'Inspiration Board' that has some very pretty photos in it, with Aqua and Pink, and flowers!

Inspiration Board:

(photos courtesy of Pinterest)

Here is what I created:

For this challenge, I decided to make a Card-Gift combo.  Well, that's what I call them.  They are a combination of a card and gift box.  So, the front of this contraption is the front of your 'card', but when you open it, you reveal the 'gift box'!  I just love making these!   

inside:

outside:

So, on this one, you slide the 'box bottom' out.  How super cute is that?   I have made one that had a flap at the top of the box, here.   This is how I did it:

I used Aqua Mist cardstock (Paper Trey Ink) as my base.  I just love this color.  The blue is cool, light, and easy to pair with.  I then put matts of Blush card stock (Amuse Studio) on all three sides.  I love this color of pink, because it is so soft in its color.  I used one of my all time pattern papers as the main panel, Blush (Lost & Found 2).  I then added a white cotton trim to a dark aqua polka dot pattern paper to the bottom third of the front.  The pink checkered piece is the back side of the floral piece.  I also matted the pink checkered with Blush cardstock.  

The white doily is actually a stamp: Gossamer Lace (Stampin' Up!).  I stamped this image in Versa Mark ink, onto a piece of Latte cardstock (Amuse Studio).  I used ultra detail white glacier embossing powder and heat set the image.  I used my detail scissors and cut it out.  

The 'Cherish' piece is a stamp: Cherish the Moment (Close To My Heart).  I stamped  this image in basic black classic ink (Stampin' Up!), onto a piece of very vanilla card stock (Stampin' Up!) and then hand-cut this piece out.  I matted it onto a scrap piece of Aqua Mist cardstock.  

I added little pieces here and there.  I added 2 trios of faux pearls at opposite corners.   I tied and added a multi-loop bow with Pool Party seam binding (Stampin' Up!).  I added a soft pink paper blossom.  I die-cut a tiny tag (Paper Trey Ink) from very vanilla card stock, and hand-stamped the 'for you' at an angle.  I used a heart-shaped pearl brad (Reflections) to hold the tiny tag to the front of this little cutie.  Finally, I added a round glass 'gem' (Jolee's Boutique) to the bottom right corner of my 'cherish' piece.

I used a Spellbinders die to cut the 'window' out of the box holder.  The 'positive' piece it used as my 'note' area.  I added a scrap piece of the same floral pattern paper to the bottom.  I used my Lots of Tags die (Stampin' Up!) to cut the label piece.  I hand-stamped the simple sentiment from a 'Winter' stamp set (Close To My Heart) in Soft Suede classic ink (Stampin' Up!).  I added a little heart cut from the main floral pattern paper.  I used some First Edition DSP (Stampin' Up!) and a vintage white button (Paper Trey Ink) to create the 'button flower'.

These little 'Card-Gift' Combo's are actually very fun to create.  I purchased a template for this creation @ Creations by AR.

I hope you have been inspired by our design team, and you get a chance to sit down and create something pretty using Aqua, Pink, and a flower!  I hope you join us @ OCC.  

Happy Crafting!  hugs, Sharon W.

Favorite Gift Bag

I hope this finds you well and  safe.  I had a wonderful time this holiday season visiting with family and friends.  I had a bunch of laughs, hugs, and some good chat time.   I have enjoyed making paper crafts for the folks in my life who appreciate my efforts.

One of my favorite challenge blog sites is the Shabby Tea Room, and they are having an interesting challenge this week.  They want us to share our favorite paper project.  And here is what I am sharing:  a beautiful, vintage gift bag I altered, to hold a gift I purchased for my oldest granddaughter.  I love altering paper bags.  I think the blank 'canvas' allows you to create what you want!

Here is a close-up of the gift bag:

The gift bag started as a simple white paper gift bag, with one rope handle.  I had a few scrap pieces of this pretty pattern paper, so I put them together.  I used a die to cut the grey polka dot pattern paper.  I wrapped a left over piece of crochet trim around the pattern papers to hide the seam.  I then used my sewing machine to add some stitching on this panel.  I made a multi-loop bow with some pale pink crinkled seam binding.  I attached the bow to the front of the panel with a pearl brad.  The sentiment tag peaking out under the bow says, 'JOY'.  I used a wide oval punch to punch out the little girl image from a tag.  I used another die to create the heart shape from some silver glitter paper.  I tied some pink bakers twine through a white button and tied it into a bow.  I adhered the button to the heart with my glue gun.  I wanted a simple tag, so I stamped and cut out the tiny 'top-note' shape.  I sewn a fabric initial to this tiny 'top-note' piece, and attached the monogram piece to the top of the gift bag with a glittered clothes pin.

One of my friends had a jewelry party before Christmas.  I attended.  (She's a very good friend.)  Well, it was with a company called 'Origami Owl'.  Never heard of it, so I looked it up on the internet.  And, really liked what I saw!  So, when I went, I knew that I was going to make a necklace for myself, and get something beautiful for my oldest granddaughter.  If you would like to 'shop', click HERE.  Jaime, is a wonderful person.

I wanted the bag to be as beautiful as the tag necklace that I purchased for her.  So, I altered this plain white gift bag.

I tied the box with a satin ribbon, to make the box pretty, too.

Thank you for stopping by today. 

Happy Crafting! hugs, Sharon W.

Silhouette Challenge

Happy Saturday.  So glad you could pop-in.  This week, I actually struggled with the challenge @ Our Creative Corner.  The super talented Marcy, is our hostess, again this week.  Marcy, would like you to use either a silhouette stamp or a cut-out on your paper craft project.   I know what you're thinking, 'that sounds pretty easy and exciting!' and well, I think any other week it may have been.  But my focus these past few weeks, have been towards creating Halloween gifts, Thanksgiving tags, Christmas packaging and other paper crafts for the upcoming Arts & Crafts Fairs, that I am attending this holiday season.

So, without any further ado, here is what I made:

I had a few scraps from a fabulous shabby chic paper pack.  I layered the aqua text paper, with the pink polka dot paper.  I covered the seam with a scrap piece of crochet trim.  To distress the edges of the various papers, I sponged the edges with crumb cake classic ink.  Then, I used my sewing machine to run a simple stitch along each side.    I wrapped a piece of spun sugar dyed seam binding around the main panel, tied a multi-loop bow and secured the bow to the card front with a Basic Grey brad.  I used a Spell-binder die to create the small 'top-note' shaped  piece.  I stamped the mannequin and heat embossed the shape on the decorative panel piece.  I also heat embossed the same stamp shape onto basic black card stock and fussy-cut it out.  I used small pieces of foam tape to lift the mannequin piece off the card front.  The heart is punched from a discarded coffee cuff.  I painted the edges with picket fence distress paint and dunked the heart into a tub of glitter.  I tied cream twine through each of the buttons.  I created my own little banner piece.  I cut a thin piece of card stock, stamped the sentiment, and then curled the banner piece.  I tucked the tiny banner behind the corrugated cardboard heart.

Thank you for looking.  I hope that you get a chance to play along with us @ Our Creative Corner.  This card will be available for purchase at my booth during my craft fairs.